Africa Update - Part IV Final Reflections

I can’t begin to tell you how free I feel tonight. The heaviness has finally lifted, and I am grateful to the Lord. The burden for the children and young adults I met has not lessened, however. Their faces are etched in my memory, and their stories come back to me both in my waking hours and in my dreams.

How can I ignore elementary aged girls who think so little of themselves that they are willing to exchange their precious innocence and virtue for one lousy bus ride? How can I erase the memories of young men who have no dreams for their futures because they don’t expect to live to adulthood? How can I pretend I didn’t hear the statistics that even with over 60,000 orphans in Swaziland, that number is expected to go up by 2/3 in the next two years because the effects of HIV/AIDS is snowballing so quickly?

I can’t. Every meal I eat reminds me that 70% of the Swazi’s live in extreme poverty. Every time I hold my new granddaughter Jordan, I face the fact that almost 10% of the babies in Mozambique die in infancy. My filtered water is a blessing, yet I still see the women and children hauling heavy containers balanced on their heads many times a day just to survive, and even then the water isn’t consistent or reliably disease-free. Corruption is rampant and those in authority live in luxury while the children and elderly suffer through no fault of their own.

Our attitudes towards weight are such a contrast with theirs! I made the mistake of telling one wonderful sister at Hope House Church that she looked like she’d lost weight since I was there two years ago. She was gracious in her response, but I learned later that I actually said something that could have been taken as an insult; in Africa, losing weight usually means you are ill or poorly fed. Pastor Lewis told us about making the mistake of telling an American woman she looked like she had gained weight since he’d last seen her! He meant it as a high compliment; she was obviously well-kept and well-fed and healthy!

Our country spends billions of dollars on weight loss products, yet we continue to gain.

Over the past couple of years I’ve heard several people comment that overall Americans are big-hearted givers. That is surely true of some, and perhaps those who say this have met more than their share of generous souls! But according to the Barna Group, only 5% of American adults even tithed 10% of their incomes in 2007. Some groups had a higher percent than that: 24% of evangelicals tithed; 12% pf conservatives; 12% of the people who had prayed, read the Bible and attended a church service during the past week; 11% of the charismatic or Pentecostal Christians; and 10% of registered Republicans. Of course, some of these groups probably have individuals who are in more than one group. (You can look up more specifics about this study at www.barna.org). When I think of what could be accomplished if all Christians gave offerings over and above their tithes, it amazes me!

But such is not the case. I have to ask why not. As our missionary friend Stan Drew worded it, the world is facing the most horrific pandemic ever known to mankind. HIV/AIDS is far worse than small pox, the black plague, polio, or any other disease known to the world. Up to half the population in Swaziland has contracted it. History will judge us for how we responded to those affected by this disease.

So will God.

He says that when we help the poor we are lending to Him. Can you imagine what kind of interest He pays? It’s the best retirement plan we could ever invest in!

Hopefully soon I will have pictures and short biographies on my blog or website about the children who are awaiting sponsorship. Please pray with Tracy and me that the Lord will send someone to care for each child. And if He is moving on your heart to help, please don’t wait for the pictures. Just ask me to send you information on a child, and I’ll get it to you quickly.

Thank you for letting me share my heart. Together we can make a difference. Becky